Tajikistan's economy enjoyed about 8% growth annually over the past decade thanks to a favorable external environment and high prices for its main exports, but following the crisis it now faces challenges related to energy and to job creation.
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Almaty, January 24, 2013 - The Central Asia Regional Workshop "Environment and climate change: Learning, partnerships, and knowledge exchange" took place in Almaty on January 22-23, 201... Show More +3. The workshop was organized by the World Bank Institute in cooperation with the Regional Environmental Center for Central Asia within the framework of the Central Asia Energy Water Development Program.The World Bank aims to support the creation of a regional network of knowledge and learning institutions in Central Asia. The workshop brought together representatives from universities, government institutes, academies and civil society organizations from all Central Asian countries that provide thematic learning programs.“Knowledge and skills foster cooperation. Therefore, we welcome the opportunity to help establish a network of national institutions to promote a systematic exchange of experiences, and to help equip national institutions with cutting-edge curriculum and skills to build the capacity of Government agencies, civil society organizations and other professionals in water, energy, agriculture, climate change-related issues”’, said Mr. Laurent Debroux, Sector Leader for Sustainable Development at the World Bank Central Asia Regional Office.The participants discussed existing educational programs in Central Asia, their strengths and knowledge gaps, cross-sector issues and subjects that would benefit from the knowledge exchange. Also they shared ideas on customization of curriculum and assessed the opportunities to create a regional network of knowledge and learning institutions (“centers of excellence”) around priority issues such as land and water management, climate smart agriculture, and sustainable energy, among others.“The conducted consultative workshop showed that sharing of knowledge, experience, information and training materials is of great importance in preparation and retraining of personnel in all countries of Central Asia. Constantly changing reality requires new skills, new approaches, new interactive methods and technologies for learning. Creation of a network of educational institutions can become the basis for a constant exchange of knowledge and experience”, said Mrs. Yekaterina Strikeleva, Water Initiatives Support Program Manager of the Regional Environmental Centre for Central Asia.This Central Asia Regional Workshop is part of a series of events focusing on the creation of knowledge exchange mechanisms in an array of topics that are in high demand throughout the region. Show Less -

New report finds that improvements in border administration and transport & telecommunications infrastructure and services could result in an up to 4.7% increase in global GDP, far outweighing pot... Show More +ential income gains from complete elimination of import tariffs.Governments should take a holistic approach that considers the entire supply chain, focusing on all policies that impact supply chain efficiency to improve national competitiveness.SME sector would witness increased trade with solutions to specific constraints that disproportionately affect smaller companies.Davos-Klosters, Switzerland, 23 January 2013 – Reducing supply chain barriers could increase global GDP and world trade much more than reducing all import tariffs, according to a new report released today by the World Economic Forum in collaboration with Bain & Company and the World Bank.Enabling Trade: Valuing Growth Opportunities finds that if all countries reduce supply chain barriers halfway to global best practice, global GDP could increase by 4.7% and world trade by 14.5%, far outweighing the benefits from the elimination of all import tariffs. In comparison, completely eliminating tariffs could increase global GDP by 0.7% and world trade by 10.1%. Even a less ambitious set of reforms that moves countries halfway to regional best practice could increase global GDP by 2.6% and world trade by 9.4%. Economic gains from reducing supply chain barriers are also more evenly distributed across countries than the gains associated with tariff elimination. Regions that stand to benefit in particular under these scenarios are sub-Saharan Africa and South East Asia. Such large increases in GDP would be associated with positive effects on unemployment, potentially adding millions of jobs to the global workforce.According to the report, lowering supply chain barriers is effective because it eliminates resource waste and reduces costs to trading firms and, by extension, lowers prices to consumers and businesses. Supply chain barriers can result from inefficient customs and administrative procedures, complex regulation and weaknesses in infrastructure services, among many others. The supply chain is the network of activities involved in producing and getting a product to consumers, and spans the manufacturing process as well as transport and distribution services.Enabling Trade: Valuing Growth Opportunities was initiated by the Forum’s Global Agenda Councils on Logistics & Supply Chains and Global Trade & FDI. The report provides a wealth of information regarding how policies can create unnecessary supply chain costs and inefficiencies based on 18 case examples spanning multiple industries and regions. The case examples highlight that clusters of policies jointly impact supply chain performance; that a concerted approach is needed to cut across different policy domains; that there may be specific tipping points that need to be achieved for reductions in supply chain barriers to have a significant impact on trade; and that small and medium enterprises (SMEs) tend to face proportionally higher supply chain barriers and costs.The report recommends that governments create a focal point to coordinate and oversee all regulation that directly impacts supply chains; that public-private partnerships be established to undertake regular data collection, monitoring and analysis of factors affecting supply chain performance; and that governments pursue a more holistic, supply-chain-centred approach towards international trade negotiations to ensure that trade agreements have greater relevance for international business and do more to benefit consumers and households.“The Forum’s Enabling Trade programme has endeavoured to highlight the fundamental attributes that enable a country to facilitate trade,” said Børge Brende, Managing Director, World Economic Forum. “Through a vivid repository of case studies, which provide an on-the-ground view of everyday barriers that companies face along trade lanes, this report shows that removing barriers to supply chains can enhance economic competitiveness and generate significant welfare benefits and jobs for countries.”“The case studies show that countries can lose their competitive advantage in terms of factor costs, if the costs associated with their supply chain barriers are high,” said Mark Gottfredson, Partner, Bain & Company. “The lesson for companies is the importance of understanding supply chain barriers and how the associated costs and delays can erode other sourcing advantages. For example, a case study on the apparel industry illustrates how delays at the border, inconsistent application of regulations, and infrastructure issues completely offset significant labour cost advantages for many countries.”“Supply chain barriers are more significant impediments to trade than import tariffs,” said Bernard Hoekman, Director of the World Bank’s International Trade Department, who is also the Chair of the Forum’s Global Agenda Council on Logistics & Supply Chains. “Lowering these barriers will reduce costs for businesses, and help generate more jobs and economic opportunities for people.”Some examples from the 18 country and sector case studies in the report include the following:In Brazil, managing customs paperwork for exports of agricultural commodities can take 12 times longer than in the European Union (a full day versus a couple of hours).Poor quality infrastructure services can increase the input material costs of consumer goods by up to 200% in certain African countries.In Madagascar, supply chain barriers can account for about 4% of total revenues of a textile producer (through higher freight costs and increased inventories), eroding the benefits of duty-free access to export markets.Obtaining licenses and lack of coordination among regulatory agencies in the US lead to delays in up to 30% of chemical shipments for one company – each late shipment costs US$ 60,000 per day.In Russia, product testing and licensing in the computer sector can lead to high administrative costs and delay time-to-market anywhere from 10 days to eight weeks.Local content requirements, rule-of-origin restrictions and pilferage at the border, can increase costs by 6-9% of consumer technology products in the Middle East and North Africa.Eliminating supply chain barriers in the South East Asian rubber market could reduce carried inventories by 90 days, representing a 10% reduction in product cost.India’s Preferential Market Access regulation, which provides preference for locally produced high-tech products in government procurement, could increase costs by 10%, over the cost of imports.Adopting electronic documentation for the air cargo industry could yield US$ 12 billion in annual savings and prevent 70-80% of paperwork-related delays.Easing regulatory compliance of international trade that SMEs face when selling through the Internet could increase cross-border SME sales by 60-80%. 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Members of the "Alisherbobo" Community Production Group chose to grow onions this season. The group plans to share some of their harvest among their members and to sell the rest on the marke... Show More +t."We have grown 35 tons of onion per hectare of land. We shall use the income to bring new members into the group and plant more onion next year, as well," says the head of the group, Ochildi Anoqulov.While some groups focus on growing crops, others raise livestock, like chickens and rabbits. The Parvina Community Production Group was given three rabbits. In one year, they managed to breed over 100 rabbits. They shared the young rabbits with other poor households, and still have plenty to breed and sell.To make sure that groups are using best practices to increase land productivity, the project also provides technical advice. Local NGOs invite expert agronomists to talk about the importance of diversification and rational use of land and inputs. Training sessions have helped groups open up and share their knowledge of planting and harvesting. As a result their crop yields have doubled in the past two years.The project also aims to sustain and increase crop productivity and diversification through Community Seed Funds where seeds are processed and stored. Each group returns to the seed storage bank up to 125% of what they received at the outset. Using the multiplier effect, the seed bank increases available seeds and agricultural inputs, and helps to establish new production groups to benefit from their use.Substantial progress has been achieved to date. Yields in targeted districts are higher than the national average—25.7 tons of potatoes per hectare compared with the national average of 19.1 tons. Wheat yields are 3.5 tons per hectare compared with the national average of 2.1 tons. Thanks to produce sales, household income in the targeted districts is about $170, up from $18 before the project’s start. In addition, a network of private fertilizer dealers is being established to revive and stabilize the supply of fertilizer, especially for crops other than cotton.As rural Tajik households produce more and diversify their crops, they are eating better and earning more. And as their standard of living rises, so does their confidence in the future. Show Less -

Is Tajikistan at risk from climate
change? If so, haw should it adapt, given the many other
pressing challenges it faces? Can long-term adaptation be
reconciled wit... Show More +h near-term development priorities? This
report advances three main propositions in response, and
provides supporting arguments and evidence to buttress them.
First, it warns that households in Tajikistan are,
significantly threatened by climate change, and illustrates
the main transmission channels through which they will
likely be impacted. Second, the report shows how, for front
being in conflict, Tajikistan's climate adaptation
priorities are in fact in close conformance with key
development objectives, it and highlights the strong public
support for more government spending on agriculture, wafer
management and public infrastructure, disaster management,
and public health four key areas identified in the countries
latest poverty reduction strategy as being specially
important from both climate-change and development
perspectives. It presents a regional vulnerability index for
Tajikistan, which could help direct climate change
adaptation investments towards areas of highest
vulnerability. Finally the report argues that it is
imperative that project based Climate related interventions
be supported by an enabling environment and overall policy
framework that is Conductive for facilitating faster climate adaptation. Show Less -

This report gives 14 indicators that
describe a country's macro fiscal environment to
identify constraints or opportunities for health systems
financing. A country ... Show More +with a 10 percent unemployment rate
that has fallen from 15 percent may be in better shape than
one with an 8 percent unemployment rate that has risen from
4 percent. It is also important to benchmark to group
averages of countries in the same World Bank (WB) region and
income group. Show Less -

This report presents an analysis of the
Early Childhood Development (ECD) programs and policies
which affect young children in Tajikistan. This report is
part of a ... Show More +series of reports prepared by the World Bank using
the Systems Approach for Better Education Results
(SABER)-ECD framework. Tajikistan has a population of 7.76
million people, of which 35 percent are below the age of 15.
Unlike some countries in the region, Tajikistan has a
positive population growth rate. SABER-ECD collects,
analyzes and disseminates comprehensive information on ECD
policies around the world. In each participating country,
extensive multi- sectoral information is collected on ECD
policies and programs through a desk review of available
government documents, data and literature, and interviews
with a range of ECD stakeholders, including government
officials, service providers, civil society, development
partners and scholars. SABER-ECD identifies three core
policy goals that countries should address to ensure optimal
ECD outcomes: establishing an enabling environment,
implementing widely and monitoring and assuring quality.
Improving ECD requires an integrated approach to address all
three goals. Tajikistan has taken steps to develop and adopt
national laws and regulations that promote appropriate
dietary consumption by pregnant women and young children. Show Less -

The enterprise surveys focus on the many
factors that shape the business environment. The country
profile for Tajikistan is based on data from the enterprise
survey... Show More +s conducted by the World Bank. The enterprise surveys
collect a wide array of qualitative and quantitative
information through face to face interviews with firm
managers and owners regarding the business environment in
their countries and the productivity of their firms. The
topics covered include infrastructure, trade, finance,
regulations, taxes and business licensing, corruption, crime
and informality, finance, innovation, labor, and perceptions
about obstacles to doing business. The benchmarks include
the averages for the group of countries in Eastern Europe
and Central Asia and the Tajikistan income group. Breakdowns
by firm size are presented in the appendix along with all
indicators used to make the graphs. Show Less -

WASHINGTON, November 29, 2012 – The world cannot afford for high and volatile food prices to be the “new normal,” while millions of people continue to suffer from hunger and to die from malnutrition, ... Show More +the World Bank Group warned today.“A new norm of high prices seems to be consolidating,” said Otaviano Canuto, World Bank Group’s Vice President for Poverty Reduction and Economic Management. “The world cannot afford to be complacent to this trend while 870 million people still live in hunger and millions of children die every year from preventable diseases caused by malnutrition.”According to the latest edition of the World Bank Group’s Food Price Watch report, published quarterly, global food prices stabilized following last July’s record peak. In October, prices were 5 percent below that peak. Prices were driven down by fats and oils, with more modest declines in grains. Seasonal increase in supplies, the absence of panic policies, such as food export restrictions, and better expectations for the future are behind such trends, although markets remain tight in general.Nonetheless, prices remain at high levels – 7 percent higher than a year ago. Grains, in particular, are expensive. They are 12 percent above their levels 12 months before and very close to the all-time high of 2008. Maize, for instance, is 17 percent higher than in October 2011 and 10 percent above the record-high prices of February 2011, despite their decrease of 3 percent between August and October.“Although we haven’t seen a food crisis as the one of 2008, food security should remain a priority,” said Canuto. “We need additional efforts to strengthen nutrition programs, safety nets, and sustainable agriculture, especially when the right actions can bring about exceptional benefits.” According to the UN Food and Agriculture Organization and others, 870 million people live with chronic undernourishment, an unchanged figure since 2007-09, and behind the necessary improvement to achieve the hunger Millennium Development Goal of halving the number of hungry people by 2015. Furthermore, child malnutrition accounts for more than a third of the mortality burden of children under the age of five, and malnutrition during pregnancy for more than 20 percent of maternal mortality.Therefore, programs to improve nutrition, for instance, would multiply the benefits -- from improving cognitive development and learning; to contributing to the empowerment of women and maternal health; reducing the negative interaction of malnutrition and infectious diseases; and increasing economic growth.According to Food Price Watch, weather will determine food prices in the near future, along with other factors, such as oil prices and the extent of emerging export competition – all of which remain uncertain at this point. How the World Bank is helpingIn FY12, which ended June 30, new World Bank Group (WBG) commitments to agriculture and related sectors reached over $9 billion. This exceeded projected lending in the Bank’s Agriculture Action Plan, which foresaw an increase from an average of $4.1 billion annually in FY06-08 to $6.2-$8.3 billion annually in FY10-12. IBRD/IDA assistance in FY12 was the highest in 20 years.From July 2012 onwards the Bank’s emergency response to severe food price shocks in the poorest countries can draw on IDA16 resources, including those available through IDA’s Crisis Response Window (CRW), as well as undisbursed resources available under the recently approved Immediate Response Mechanism. For instance, in response to drought in the Horn of Africa, IDA is providing $1.8 billion, (including $250 million from the CRW), to save lives, improve social protection, and foster economic recovery and drought resilience.IFC has invested $1 billion in the Critical Commodities Finance Program, aimed to support trade in key agricultural and energy-related goods, to help reduce the risk of food and energy shortages, as well as improve food security for the world’s poorest.Additionally, IFC’s Agricultural Price Risk Mechanism (APRM) enables protection from volatile food prices for farmers, food producers, and consumers in developing countries.IFC’s Global Warehouse Finance Program allows famers to get needed financing quickly by borrowing against receipts they obtain for crop deliveries to warehouses.The Bank is supporting the Global Agriculture and Food Security Program (GAFSP), set up by the WBG in April 2010 at G20’s request. Nine countries and the Gates Foundation have pledged about $1.3 billion, with $880.1 million received.The Global Food Price Crisis Response Program (GFRP) has reached 66 million people in 49 countries - through $1.6 billion in emergency support.The WBG is coordinating with UN agencies through the High-Level Task Force on the Global Food Security Crisis and with non-governmental organizations.Supporting the Partnership for Agricultural Market Information System (AMIS) to improve food market transparency and help governments make informed responses to global food price spikes.Advocacy for more investment in agriculture research–including through the Consultative Group on International Agriculture Research (CGIAR) – and monitoring agricultural trade to identify potential food shortages.Supporting improved nutrition among vulnerable groups through community nutrition programs aimed at increasing use of health services and improving care giving. As part of its response to the food crisis, the Bank has supported the provision of some 2.3 million school meals every day to children in low income countries.The Scaling Up Nutrition (SUN) framework for action to address under-nutrition was endorsed by over 100 partners, including the World Bank.Improving global collaboration in the generation and sharing of knowledge between agriculture, food security, and nutrition, through the SecureNutrition knowledge platform: www.securenutritionplatform.org Show Less -

IDA Grant: US$18 million equivalentGAFSP Grant: US$27.9 millionProject ID: P133327 Project Description: The project development objectives are to provide employment to food insecure people throug... Show More +h the rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage infrastructure, to increase crop production through improved irrigation and drainage infrastructure, and to support the development of improved policies and institutions for water resource management, as a means to improve food availability and food access for low-income people in poor rural areas. Show Less -

Washington, November 29, 2012 – The World Bank Board of Executive Directors today approved a US$45.9 million grant for the Second Tajikistan Public Employment for Sustainable Agriculture and Water Res... Show More +ources Management Project. Over 770,000 people residing in twelve districts of the southern Khatlon region of Tajikistan will benefit from temporary public employment opportunities and rehabilitation of important irrigation and drainage infrastructure. The new project is being financed through a US$18 million grant from the International Development Association (IDA) and a US$ 27.9 million grant from the Global Agriculture and Food Security Multi-Donor Trust Fund Program. This financing will allow scaling up of a successfully completed first project, which benefitted over 43,000 households through income transfers and improved access to irrigation. “I am glad to see this project expanding and covering new districts of Tajikistan as food security is essential for the well-being of children and adults everywhere,” said Marsha Olive, World Bank Country Manager for Tajikistan. “By providing temporary employment opportunities we intend to help rural households not only earn additional income, but improve access to irrigation so they could get higher crop yields from their land in many years to come.” The project aims to directly benefit an estimated 22,000 people through the provision of temporary work. The rehabilitation of irrigation and drainage infrastructure will improve access to irrigation for about 190,000 hectares of land to the benefit of 750,000 rural residents. A 10 percent increase in crop yields is expected as a result of the project. The project will also support ongoing institutional and policy reform in water resource management. Around 20 new Water User Associations (WUA) will be established and capacity building will be provided to these and existing 33 WUAs in project areas.The original project, financed through the European Union Food Crises Rapid Response Facility, in the amount of US$ 10.01 million was launched in 2010. The project helped employ 10,590 people in five vulnerable districts of Khatlon region, namely Farkhor, Qumsangir, Qabodyon, Shartuz and Vakhsh. Each person generated a net income of US$ 230, while improving access to 44,276 hectares of irrigated arable land. These resulted in at least 5 percent increase of agricultural production of rice, vegetables, potatoes, and wheat in targeted districts. The active portfolio of the World Bank in Tajikistan currently consists of 16 projects with a net commitment of around US$ 275 million. The largest share of the portfolio is in agriculture and rural development (27 percent), followed by energy (24 percent), water and sanitation (18 percent), human development – education, health and social protection (24 percent), the private sector (4 percent) and the public sector (2 percent). Show Less -

New Studies Show Potential Impact of Programs for Sex Workers, People Who Inject Drugs, and Men Who Have Sex with MenWASHINGTON, November 28, 2012 – As the world prepares to commemorate World AIDS Day... Show More + on December 1, two new World Bank studies urge governments and their development partners to provide better prevention, care, and treatment services for sex workers and people who inject drugs as an important step toward ensuring a world free of AIDS.The studies are the second and third in a three-part series on key populations at higher risk in low- and middle-income countries. In June 2011, the World Bank and partners launched the first study, which focused on men who have sex with men.“In many countries, sex workers, people who inject drugs, and men who have sex with men remain marginalized in society and vulnerable to HIV,” said David Wilson, World Bank Global AIDS Program Director. “Even in countries with epidemics in the general population, these groups are disproportionately affected by the epidemic. Effective interventions not only protect members of these marginalized communities, but also make a major contribution to averting a wider epidemic.”Sex workers, people who inject drugs, and men who have sex with men are at significantly higher risk of HIV infection than other groups in low- and middle-income countries. According to a recently released UNAIDS report, among countries with generalized epidemics, HIV prevalence is consistently higher among sex workers in the capital city than in the general population, at around 23%. Around 3 million of the 16 million people worldwide who use drugs are living with HIV. HIV infection among men who have sex with men in capital cities is on average 13 times higher than in the general population.The World Bank, United Nations Population Fund (UNFPA), and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health collaborated on the sex workers study, The Global HIV Epidemics among Sex Workers, which found that a community empowerment approach to HIV prevention, treatment, and care is cost-effective, with significant projected impact on HIV incidence among sex workers and transmission beyond the sex worker community.According to the study, globally, HIV disproportionately affected sex workers in low- and middle-income countries. The overall HIV prevalence among female sex workers was 11.8%, with the prevalence in Sub-Saharan Africa at 36.9%. Across all regions, prevalence among female sex workers was 13.5 times the overall HIV prevalence among the general population of women ages 15-49. Sex workers continue to face heightened social and structural vulnerabilities to HIV. The study emphasizes the central importance of adopting a rights-affirming, empowerment-based approach to scale up comprehensive HIV services, and addressing stigma, discrimination, and violence against sex workers. The World Bank, Futures Group, and Johns Hopkins Bloomberg School of Public Health study, The Global HIV Epidemics among People Who Inject Drugs, found that although HIV prevalence was significantly higher among people who inject drugs than in the general adult population, the availability of antiretroviral treatment and other key prevention interventions was generally inadequate.The researchers predicted that continuing to specifically target these groups with needle and syringe programs, medically assisted therapy and HIV counseling and testing, as well as increased access to antiretroviral treatment, could avert thousands of infections from 2012-2015, including 1,300 in Kenya, 4,130 in Pakistan, 1,570 in Thailand, and 3,900 in Ukraine. Interventions for people who inject drugs are cost-effective or highly cost-effective investment choices across the breadth of the global epidemic.“The ability to rapidly and cost-effectively intervene in HIV transmission with currently proven interventions holds the most promise among people who inject drugs worldwide,” said Farley R. Cleghorn, MD, MPH, Futures Chief Technical Officer and Team Leader for the study.The study, Global HIV Epidemics Among Men Who Have Sex with Men: Epidemiology, Prevention, Access to Care and Human Rights, found that achieving high rates of coverage of HIV prevention and treatment services among men who have sex with men had a significant positive impact on the overall trajectory of a country’s HIV epidemic. Fewer than one in ten men who have sex with men worldwide has access to basic HIV/AIDS prevention, care, and treatment services. The authors of that study recommended a comprehensive package of essential services, including risk-reduction counseling, distribution of condoms and other safe-sex measures, community-based prevention efforts, HIV testing, and increased use of antiretroviral therapy treatment. The report highlights the need for the decriminalization of the behavior of men who have sex with men, the institution of anti-homophobia policies, increased education of healthcare workers, and the reduction of stigma in healthcare situations. “Resources need to target the most effective interventions, based on sound evidence,” said Chris Beyrer MD, MPH, Director, Johns Hopkins Center for Public Health and Human Rights. “This means focusing on some of the hardest-to-reach and most stigmatized populations, including sex workers, people who inject drugs, and men who have sex with men. The public health urgency to address these key populations is consistent with the human rights imperative to include those most in need of HIV prevention, treatment, and care.” Show Less -

Reliable power supply is critical for
Tajikistan's economy and poverty reduction goals.
Without reliable, affordable electricity throughout the
year, Tajikistan's b... Show More +usinesses cannot invest, operate
and create jobs; hospitals and schools cannot function fully
or safely with frequent power cuts during winter; citizens
suffer indoor air pollution from burning wood for heating
and cooking. Electricity also powers the country's two
largest exports: aluminum and agricultural produce, which
account for about 30 percent of Tajikistan's annual
gross domestic product and almost 45 percent of export
earnings. Currently, electricity is the cheapest available
resource to heat homes so the residential and commercial
sectors are highly dependent on electricity for heat as well
as lighting and industrial processes. The Government is
responsible for guiding programs that keep power supply
apace with demand. The purpose of this study is to assist
the Government in further defining ways to meet growing
demand for electricity in Tajikistan, with a particular
focus on the recurring winter shortages which amount to
about 24 percent of winter demand. The study also examines
the potential benefits of power exports, particularly during
summers when hydropower plants spill energy. The study
explores a range of alternatives to meet electricity demand
as quickly as possible and develop a short term plan of
action to alleviate the social and economic costs of winter
shortages. The study focuses on multiple initiatives that
can be started immediately and simultaneously, and will
establish fundamental components of energy security for
Tajikistan, namely: to moderate unsustainable demand growth,
protect the current asset base, and remedy the thermal/hydro
imbalance in the energy sector. Show Less -

The World Bank Group has contracted a
Consortium of the Norwegian, Ukrainian and Tajik companies,
led by Norsk Energi, to perform a plant-wide assessment of
energy ... Show More +efficiency options of all major equipment and
production lines at TALCO - Tajik Aluminum Company, which is
the largest aluminum manufacturing plant in Central Asia,
headquartered in Tursun-zade. The project team includes
Norsk Energi, SINTEF Materials and Chemistry, ESCO Energo
Engineering and Tajhydro. The main purpose of the assignment
is to quantify energy usage at the site and highlight
opportunities or measures for potential energy savings at
TALCO. To achieve this, the study methodology comprises the
following main tasks: (a) to complete a comprehensive energy
audit; (b) to identify energy and, in particular, electric
power consumption related to all equipment, processes and
sub-processes in the plant; (c) to analyze and recommend
opportunities to decrease energy use and costs, as well as
estimate the associated investment needs; and (d) identify
priorities for energy efficiency improvements in terms of
the potential for electricity savings and costs-effectiveness. Show Less -

Comparing this repeat Public Expenditure
and Financial Accountability (PEFA) assessment with the
original 2007 assessment reveals overall improvement across
most Pe... Show More +rformance Indicators, with slippage in some areas and
no change in rating for others. This 2012 PEFA report also
takes place at a time of considerable transition as various
PFM reforms are either newly implemented or in the process
of being implemented and close to being implemented (e.g. a
new chart of accounts; a new supreme audit act; adoption of
the medium term expenditure framework and the implementation
of a Public Financial Management (PFM) Reform Program). The
purpose of the assessment is to assess the PFM system
performance of the Government of Tajikistan, using the PEFA
assessment methodology, and to gauge progress in
strengthening performance since the last PEFA assessment
conducted in 2007. The results of the assessment will
principally be used by the Government to determine whether
the Public Financial Management Economic Management
Modernization Program (PFMMP) that it is currently
implementing should be refined. Show Less -

WASHINGTON, November 20, 2012 – Remittance flows to the developing world are expected to exceed earlier estimates and total $406 billion this year, an increase of 6.5 percent over the previous year, a... Show More +ccording to a new World Bank brief on global migration and remittances.Remittances to developing countries are projected to grow by 7.9 percent in 2013, 10.1 percent in 2014 and 10.7 percent in 2015 to reach $534 billion in 2015.Worldwide remittances, including those to high-income countries, are expected to total $534 billion in 2012, and projected to grow to $685 billion in 2015, according to the latest issue of the Bank’s Migration and Development Brief, released today.However, despite the growth in remittance flows overall to developing countries, the continuing global economic crisis is dampening remittance flows to some regions, with Europe and Central Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa especially affected, while South Asia and the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) are expected to fare much better than previously estimated.The top recipients of officially recorded remittances for 2012 are India ($70 billion), China ($66 billion), the Philippines and Mexico ($24 billion each), and Nigeria ($21 billion). Other large recipients include Egypt, Pakistan, Bangladesh, Vietnam, and Lebanon.As a percentage of GDP, the top recipients of remittances, in 2011, were Tajikistan (47 percent), Liberia (31 percent), Kyrgyz Republic (29 percent), Lesotho (27 percent), Moldova (23 percent), Nepal (22 percent), and Samoa (21 percent).“Although migrant workers are, to a large extent, adversely affected by the slow growth in the global economy, remittance volumes have remained remarkably resilient, providing a vital lifeline to not only poor families but a steady and reliable source of foreign currency in many poor remittances recipient countries,” said Hans Timmer, Director of the Bank’s Development Prospects Group.Regions and countries with large numbers of migrants in oil exporting countries continue to see robust growth in inward remittance flows, compared with those whose migrant workers are largely concentrated in the advanced economies, especially Western Europe.Thus, South Asia, MENA and East Asia and Pacific regions, with large numbers of workers in the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries, are seeing better-than-expected growth in remittances. For South Asia, remittances in 2012 are expected to total $109 billion, an increase of 12.5 percent over 2011; East Asia and Pacific region, is estimated to attract $114 billion, an increase of 7.2 percent over 2011; while MENA is expected to receive $47 billion, an increase of 8.4 percent over the previous year.Remittances to Latin America and the Caribbean are supported by a recovering economy and an improving labor market in the United States but moderated by a weak European economy. The region will, thus, see a modest growth of 2.9 percent in 2012, totaling an estimated $64 billion.In contrast, remittances are expected to remain flat to Europe and Central Asia and Sub-Saharan Africa regions, mainly because of the economic contractions in high-income European countries. Remittance flows to Europe and Central Asia are estimated at a virtually unchanged $41 billion and $31 billion to Sub-Saharan Africa this year, although both regions are projected to make a robust recovery in remittance flows in 2013.“Migrant workers are displaying tremendous resilience in the face of the continuing economic crisis in advanced countries,” said Dilip Ratha, Manager of the Bank’s Migration and Remittances Unit and lead author of the Migration and Development Brief. “Their agility in finding alternate employment and cutting down on personal expenses has prevented large scale return to their home countries.”Going forward, the Bank expects continued growth in remittance flows to all regions of the world, although persistent unemployment in Europe and hardening attitudes towards migrant workers in some places present serious downside risks.Another obstacle to growth of remittance flows is the high cost of sending money, which averaged 7.5 percent in the third quarter of 2012 for the top 20 bilateral remittance corridors and 9 percent for all countries for which cost data are available. The average remittance cost for Sub-Saharan Africa was 12.4 percent, the highest amongst all developing regions.The Migration and Development Brief also notes that the promise of mobile remittances has yet to be fulfilled, despite the skyrocketing use of mobile telephones throughout the developing world. Mobile remittances fall in the regulatory void between financial and telecom regulations, with many central banks prohibiting non-bank entities to conduct financial services. Central banks and telecommunication authorities, thus, need to come together to craft rules relating to mobile remittances.The Brief also discusses the implementation of the new remittance regulations in the United States and Europe and concludes that these regulations are likely to lower remittance costs in the long run by increasing competition and improving consumer protection.“The global community has made progress in three out of four areas of the global remittances agenda – data, remittance costs, and leveraging remittances for capital market access for countries. Progress, however, has been slow in the area of linking remittances to financial access for the poor. There is great potential for developing remittance-linked micro-saving and micro-insurance schemes and for small and medium enterprise (SME) financing,” said Ratha. As a key player in the migration and remittances arena, the World Bank is working on a new initiative, the Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development (KNOMAD), which is aimed at facilitating multidisciplinary debate and discussion on migration issues, developing policy options, and assisting sending and receiving countries implement pilot policies.The Bank also continues to make considerable strides in developing financing instruments for leveraging migration and remittances for national development purposes. Diaspora bonds can be a powerful financial instrument for mobilizing diaspora savings to finance specific public and private sector projects, as well as to help improve the debt profile of the destination country. The Bank has also set up a Diaspora Bond Task Force to provide technical assistance to countries interested in implementing diaspora bonds for financing development projects. The Migration and Development Brief and the latest migration and remittances data are available at www.worldbank.org/migration. Show Less -

DR. KIM: Thank you, all, so much for coming and welcome to the World Bank.As always, I have some very nice prepared remarks, and so I will give them out of respect for the people who prepared th... Show More +em, but I'm also going to talk a little bit about from personal experiences. Hundreds of millions of children and adults in Africa live at risk of disfigurement, impaired development, blindness, and even death from seven major preventable, neglected--so called neglected tropical diseases, includes river blindness, elephantiasis, trachoma, and various types of [? 00:37] [unclear] parasites. It's not that these diseases really have been neglected. It's the people who suffer from them who have been neglected. Protecting poor people from preventable diseases and from acute suffering remains a part of our mission to end poverty and [unclear] shared prosperity. The bronze statue in our atrium, the child leading a man who has lost his sight from river blindness, is a daily reminder of our mission, and for me it's the second organization that I've worked for that has that very statue in the middle of its consciousness. Five other statues exist including in Burkina Faso's capital and of course the World Health Organization capital in Geneva.River blindness is a debilitating disease, transmitted through flies that breed in river waters, as you know. The fight against this disease is where our efforts in the preventable, neglected tropical diseases began. This fight, supported by many organizations and partners including the World Health Organization, the World Bank is a true success story, and today over 80 million people a year in Africa regularly receive drugs donated by Merck to prevent river blindness. Protection again disease is not just an investment in health but an investment in the economy. As river blindness has been controlled in large parts of West Africa, families have been able to return to 25 million hectares of arable land with the capacity to grow enough crops to feed 17 million people. River blindness has also been eliminated in several endemic areas in Africa, such as transmission zones in Senegal and Mali. At the beginning of this year, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation, several pharmaceutical companies, and many other partners, including some very active civil society organizations, united behind a common mission to control or eliminate the seven major preventable, neglected tropical diseases in endemic countries. I'm delighted that we at the World Bank are able to support the effort to tackle these diseases in a coordinated way. Tackling these diseases in a coordinated way in [unclear 02:50] Africa. It saves lives and money, and requires expanding lessons that we've learned from our efforts to eliminate river blindness. First, a simple community health system approach. And second, partnerships with pharmaceutical companies for the free supply of drugs. A key element of this extended effort is to strengthen community health systems in these endemic countries through national health strategies that aim to reach every citizen with good quality health services. We can bring about great change by working together efficiently. You know, I remember the very first time that this idea of donating drugs became to be, and it was actually in a video with Roy Vagelos of Merck, and Bill Fahey of, at that time [unclear 03:37] Carter Center by President Carter. And I'll never forget the conversation where President Roy Vagelos of Merck was asked directly, "You mean you will supply every person in the world who needs Mectizan with the drug forever?" And he said, "Yes, forever." Now, my understanding is that at first when the Merck folks about this they weren't very happy when he made that commitment, but I have to tell you, those of us in the public health world were simply blown away. I've since had the great pleasure of working very closely with Bill Fahey and also being measured [? 04:16] by him in a very substantial way. And just yesterday I was on the phone, a videoconference with Bill and with Mark Rosenberg, who now runs the Task Force for Global Health, which manages the Mectizan Donation Program. And I've also had the great, great honor of interacting quite a bit with Roy Vagelos, who continues his great work in trying to bring medicine and cures to the poorest people in the world. So I, mostly today, just want to thank everyone in this room for your effort to continue this extremely worthwhile fight. You know, I was involved in HIV and tuberculosis, malaria, much more high-profile diseases. But having spent so many years of my life actually seeing cases of elephantiasis, seeing cases of trachoma in places like Haiti, in three countries in Africa and all over the world, I understand very clearly the enormous morbidity, the enormous suffering that comes from these diseases, and I hope that through our joint efforts, we will one day look at these as no longer neglected tropical diseases. Thank you very much. Show Less -

IDA Grant: US$10 million equivalentProject ID: P129313 Project Description: The Land Registration and Cadastre System for Sustainable Agriculture project for Tajikistan aims to support the Govern... Show More +ment of Tajikistan's efforts to expand farmland restructuring, to increase the number of immovable properties with secure tenure rights, and to propose a plan for the improvement of the immovable property registration system. Show Less -

Financial disclosure is a powerful anti-corruption toolWASHINGTON, November 8, 2012– Financial disclosure laws requiring public officials to file a statement of their assets, liabilities and interests... Show More + can make corruption easier to detect. However, a new World Bank database finds that although 78 percent of countries covered by the database have financial disclosure systems, only 36 percent systematically check public servants’ disclosures for irregularities and inconsistencies.To support countries in their fight against corruption, the World Bank is launching the Financial Disclosure Law Library to help policymakers and practitioners establish strong financial disclosure systems. The Library compiles over 1,000 laws and regulations on financial disclosure and restrictions on public officials’ activities from 176 countries.Financial disclosure by public officials provides law enforcement with information and evidence for the prevention, investigation and prosecution of corruption, illicit enrichment and tax crimes. It also gives citizens the information they need to hold public officials accountable for their actions.The Library shows that not all public officials are obligated to declare their assets and interests. High-level officials are generally included; 93 percent of covered countries require disclosure for cabinet members, 91 percent for Members of Parliament and 62 percent for high-ranking prosecutors. However, only 43 percent of countries provide the public with open access to public officials’ financial disclosures.“Financial disclosure systems make it harder for corrupt officials to hide their criminal activities or ill-gotten wealth,” said Jean Pesme, Manager of Financial Market Integrity at the World Bank. “Civil society and corruption fighters should back the G20’s call for asset disclosure systems, because they can be an effective tool for bringing thieving public servants to justice.”A World Bank analysis published earlier this year, Using Asset Disclosure for Identifying Politically Exposed Persons, noted that as much as 93 percent of countries in Latin America and the Caribbean have disclosure systems, while the percentage drops to 53 percent in Middle East and Northern African countries. While significant variations in implementation and access exist across the world’s financial disclosure systems, stakeholders agree that such systems are essential.“Financial Disclosure is key in the fight against corruption,” says Navil Campos Paniagua, Manager, Complaints and Investigations Area, General Comptroller of the Republic of Costa Rica. “Until now, countries have been unaware of each other’s efforts when it comes to asset disclosure laws. The World Bank law library will certainly help practitioners and policymakers from different countries learn from one another and boost financial disclosure in their own countries.” The World Bank’s work in Financial Market Integrity supports transparent and inclusive financial systems, and the fight against illicit financial flows.The library can be accessed at http://publicofficialsfinancialdisclosure.worldbank.org/fdl/ Show Less -

ALMATY, November 8, 2012 – As part of an ongoing assessment of the proposed Rogun Hydropower Project (Rogun HPP) in Tajikistan, the second information-sharing meetings took place on November 6-7, 2012... Show More +, in Almaty, Kazakhstan. The purpose of the meetings was to discuss the draft Screening Report of the Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA), which is a precursor to the ESIA, and the draft Design Criteria of the Techno-Economic Assessment Study (TEAS). These documents do not provide final results but will guide the future work on both studies. The meetings provided an opportunity for riparian governments and civil society representatives to review the building blocks of the Assessment Studies being conducted by two international firms. Members of two independent Panels of Experts that are providing additional oversight to the studies were also present to discuss their technical reviews and take questions on both draft reports. After presentations on the draft Screening Report and draft Design Criteria, participants interacted directly with the consultants, experts, and World Bank staff to provide feedback and share their concerns. On November 6, riparian government representatives from Afghanistan, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistan welcomed the opportunity to have an open and productive discussion at the regional level. Questions focused on potential environmental and downstream impacts, dam safety and the allocation of water resources. The Government of Tajikistan confirmed that they intend to abide by the inter-governmental agreement on the Amu Darya river basin (Protocol 566 under the Nukus Declaration). During the meeting, the issues of climate change, sediment management, evaporation, and data-sharing were also discussed.On November 7, more than 45 civil society organizations were connected by a video-conference between Almaty, Astana, Bishkek, Dushanbe, Kabul, and Tashkent and by audio connection with Ashgabat. The participants’ comments and questions focused on the seismic risks of the proposed Rogun project site, the potential effects of climate change on hydrology, the Government of Tajikistan’s plans for future resettlement and related grievance mechanisms, as well as cultural heritage sites. The meeting confirmed that key issues for future discussion will be the potential impacts of any changes in water flows on downstream countries and an in-depth economic analysis of the proposed project.“These information-sharing meetings allow us to hear the concerns of government and civil society stakeholders who are eager to see that the structure, scope, and content of the Rogun Assessment Studies address all potential impacts,” said Saroj Jha, World Bank Regional Director for Central Asia. He added “The World Bank is committed to ensuring that these views are heard. We see this as critical input to a transparent, internationally acceptable study process – and central to the sustainable management of water and energy resources in Central Asia.”The Government of Tajikistan and World Bank disclosed a number of draft documents in English and Russian three weeks before the meetings. These documents and presentations made in Almaty are publicly available on the Bank’s website at www.worldbank.org/eca/rogun. Comments on the draft Screening Report for the ESIA and draft Design Criteria will be accepted until November 25, 2012, via email (rogunconsult@worldbank.org) or mailed to the World Bank Country Offices. Subsequent analysis and interim findings will also be reviewed and discussed in future information-sharing sessions with the international consultants, independent Panels of Experts, and riparian governments and civil society organizations.BACKGROUNDIn response to a request from the Government of Tajikistan, the World Bank is supporting two Assessment Studies of the proposed Rogun HPP: the Techno-Economic Assessment Study (TEAS) and Environmental and Social Impact Assessment (ESIA). To ensure that the Studies address the concerns of government and civil society stakeholders and meet international quality standards, including expectations of transparency, the Bank is facilitating a process of information-sharing and discussion. The Bank has made no financial commitment to support construction of the Rogun HPP.The World Bank held initial consultations with the governments of Kazakhstan, Kyrgyz Republic, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan, and Afghanistan (Riparians) on the Terms of Reference for the Assessment Studies in 2008-2009. The Government of Tajikistan, with support from an International Development Association (IDA) loan, then contracted two consulting firms on an international competitive basis: Coyne & Bellier (TEAS) and Pöyry (ESIA). The Bank also established two independent Panels of Experts (PoEs) to perform due diligence and ensure that the Studies conform to international quality standards.For more information about the Rogun Assessment Studies, visit: www.worldbank.org/eca/rogunContacts: In Almaty: Margarita Grigoryeva, Tel: (727) 2980-580, mgrigoryeva@worldbank.org In Astana: Shynar Jetpissova, Tel: (7172) 580-555, sjetpissova@worldbank.org In Dushanbe: Nigina Alieva, Tel: (992 48) 701 58 07, nalieva1@worldbank.org In Ashgabat: Oraz Sultanov, Tel: (993) 12 262099, osultanov@worldbank.orgIn Bishkek: Dinara Akmatbekova, Tel: (996) 312 454040, dakmatbekova@worldbank.org In Kabul: Raouf Zia, Tel: +93700280800, azia@worldbank.orgIn Tashkent: Matluba Mukhamedova, Tel: (998-71)-238-5950, mmukhamedova@worldbank.org In Washington: Heather Worley, Tel.: (202) 489 2736, hworley@worldbank.org Show Less -

On November 6th and 7th, the World Bank
hosted the second riparian information sharing and
consultation meetings on the assessment studies of the Rogun
Hydropower P... Show More +roject (Rogun HPP). The sessions were held at
the Banks regional office in Almaty, Kazakhstan. Government
and CSO representatives participated on their respective
days and development partners joined the CSO sessions as
observers. These meetings were the latest in a series of
engagements with riparian stakeholders on the proposed
project. The purpose of the meetings is to enable the
incorporation of stakeholder concerns and opinions into the
ongoing Rogun HPP assessment studies process. This report
describes the Banks engagement in the Assessment Studies,
the milestones in the riparian program, the key documents
presented and discussed during the meetings, the
recommendations to the Government of Tajikistan (GoT) based
on the meetings, and the next steps in the process. It
details the meetings held on November 6-7, 2012 in Almaty,
Kazakhstan and subsequent written feedback. Show Less -